Fuse.



PATENTED 00T. l, 1907.

H. GBISENHNER.

FUSE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 29. 190s.

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UNITED STATES AlrtTENT OFFICE.

IIEN RY OEISEXIIONER, OF SOHENEUIADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGXOR TO GENERAL ELEOTKIU COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' FUSE No. e6 7,496.

To all uhom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, HENRY GEISENHNER, a citizen 4 ofthe United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuses,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cnt-outs of the thermal type inwhich the circuit is opened by the nreltirrg of a section of fusible conductor. In these devices it is desirable to quickly separate the broken ends of the circuit to avoid the formation of an arc or to break it if i t This is in many cases effected by means of a spring, which keeps the fusible conductor under tension. But such a construction has the disadvantage, however, of causing a rupture of the fuse in case it is softened by a momentary and not dangerous overload.

One object of my invention is to provide a lock which vwill prevent the opening of the circuit by a temporary overload but will not interfere with the proper operation of the fuse when the overload persists.

The fuse is inclosed in achamber filled with finely divided refractory material, such as sand, one end of the fuse' being fastened at one end of said chamber. The spring ishoused in arr adjacent chamber' and is connected witlr the fuse through a hole in the intervening partition. In order to prevent the escape of fire through this hole when the fuse blows, I provide suitable means for plugging the hole when the spring withdraws the connecting means between it and the fuse. Moreover, it is desirable to have some'way of knowing when the fuse has blown, and my device provides for this by the changed arrangement of the flexib le conductor connecting the spring with the line terminals.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved fuse and Figs. 2 and 3 are end views thereof. y Y

The body of the fuse is a cylinder 1 of insulating ma` terial, such as vulcanized fiber. It is closed at cach end by, a metallic cap 2, 3, said caps being suitably supported b v saddles 4 to which the binding-posts 5 for the line wire are secured. The interior of the body l, is divided into two chambers G, 7, by a'partition 8 of insulating material, such aslava. In the smaller chamber ti is the fusible section of conductor, preferably composed or' a plurality of strips 9 clamped at one eml between the cap 2` and a metallic washer 10, which is fastened to said cap by screws 11. v The other' endsof the fuse-strips pass througlra hole -in the partition 8 and are clamped by a washer 12 and screws 13 to a metallic follower 14 adapted to slide in the chamber 7. The ends of the strips, ora portion of them, are carried back into the chamber 6 and looped around a piece of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed une 29,

l flexible fire-proof material 15, such as a bunch of asbestos cord. The chamber' 6 is filled with sand 16 or other finely divided refractory material.

A pigtail composed of one or more flexible conductors 17 is connected with the follower 14 and passes freely through a hole in the cap 3, beyond which, it is curled forward and connected with the cap.

A helical spring 1S is attached at one end to the follower and at the othervend to the cap 3, preferably by means of a tubular block 19 fastened to said cap and encircling the pigtail 17.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the tension of the spring is sustained by the partition 8, lbeing transmitted thereto by the looped end of the fuse and the transverse locking-piece of asbestos 15. There is therefore no danger of rupturing the fuse in case it is softened by a temporary overload. But when a persistent overload melts the strips and the loop, the spring is released and instantly retracts the follower and breaks the arc. The locking-piece l5 being of refractory material does not volatilize, so that the flame is reduced to a minimum, which is a great desiderntnm when handling heavy currentst A metallic lock of any kind would add considerably to the flame and enhance the possibility of injuring the follower and spring. As a further safeguard, the flexible asbestos cord is forced by the pressure of the burning fuse-vapor into the hole into the spring chamber is almost wholly prevented, The pigtail 17 is pushed out through 'the hole in the cap 3 and its curl 17 is greatly enlarged,'thus indicating at once the fact that the fttse has blown. In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described tlre principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I' now consider to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and' that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters i Patent of the United States, `isthe partition from the spring.

3. The combination with a body containing two chambers, of a fuse irl one of tireur, a follower in the other chamber attached to the end of saidr fuse, a spring for represent the best embodiment thereof; but. I desire to i in the partition and plugs it, so that the escape of fire teral attached to said conductor on the opposite side of actuating said follower, and a exble conductor connected with said follower sind'pnssing freely through the end of said body.

L The combination with a body, of cups on the ends thereof, n partition having a hole, a, fuse attached toone ofsaid caps, a; spring-actuated follower connected with the other. endaof said fuse, :1nd a 'exible conductor con nected with said follower and'passing freely through a hole in the other cap. i l

5. In n fuse, the combination with n body,` of caps on the'ends thereof, u fuse and'a spring therein, and a flexible conductor attached to said spring, passing freely through the end of said body and, curled up to a point of attachment with the capi i v A 6. In fuse, the combination with :tbody containing two chambers, of n fuse in one of them, a springin the other connected with'saidfuse, and a lock for preventing the operation of the spring when only a* temporary overload occurs.

T. The combination Witha body containing a fuse chumber andV n spring chamber, of a. fuse, a. spring attached thereto, ,und a non-fusible locking-piece in the fuse chamber for sustaining'v the tension of the spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of June, 1903. t

HENRY GEISENHNER.

.Witnesses: f

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN OnFoRD. 

